Feeding mechanism.



E. STCK.

Emme MBCHAMSM,

APPLIGATION FILED DEG.19, 1905. 955,444: atented Ap?, 25, 19?@ 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

y. mm 61:11,@

E. STCK.

FEEDING lYIEHMHSMI APPLICATION FILED DB0, 19, 1905.

Patented pi 26;, im@

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Avr/WU E. STCK. FEEDINGMEGHANISM, APPLICATION FILED DEG. 19, isos.

956,444. Patented A131126, 1910.

ANDREW sv www co PxoTc-LlrHoGnAPuswS .vAsmNGmH, D. 0

UNl'lED EVEBETT STU K,

0F DYTDN, CHIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed 'eceznber 19, 1905.

Fatented Apr. 26, i916.

seran no. 292,500.

To all whom fit may concern.'

Be it known that llvrinnrr Srnoii, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of h'iontgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Feeding Mechanisms, of which l declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanisms, for use in such machines as milling machines and the like, where a movable work carriage is arranged to have the work mounted upon it, the carriage then being fed automatically.

lt is among the objects of this invention to provide such an improved form of feeding mechanism aswill automatically give a slow feed movement to the work carriage during the interval of time in which the work being operated upon, and then a fast feed when the work is to be moved without being operated upon, then an automatic reverse with a fast return feed of the carriage, and finally an automatic stop to arrest the ca 1ringe when it has been returned to normal position.

`lilith these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter specifically described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification.

Of said drawings: Figure l represents a side elevation of a .milling machine to which these improvements are applied showing the various feeding gears set for the slow feed. Fig. Q represents a top plan view of a portion of the work carriage with the adjustable feed controlling` dogs mounted thereon and the mechanism connected with the feeding gears set for the fast feed. Fig. 3 represents a perspective detail view of one of the feed ger 's and clutches. Fig. t represents a detail sectional view on the line #le-l of Fig. l lookingl in the. direction of the arrow crossing said line. Fig. 5 represents a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig'. l looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line.

is a general description of the specific form of mechanism which has been adopted to carry out the purposes of this invention, it may be stated that a traveling' work carriage is provided, which is fed by a revoluble shaft arranged to have diderent speeds of rotation and different directions of rotation. This is accomplished by having a main driving' mechanism in the shape of a constantly revoluble shaft which has three separate gear connections, one for a slow feed forward, another for a fastfeed forward, and another' for a fast reverse feed. These various feeding gears are arranged to be clutched to the main driving shaft for the work carriage so as to give the latter the desired slow forward feed, fast forward feed or fast reverse feed. These clutch connections are controlled by a series of adjustable feed controlling dogs mounted upon the work carriage itself. rfhese dogs may be adjusted to any desired position on the work carriage, according to the position of the work on the carriage and the nature of the work to be performed. An additional dog is also provided, which when the carriage has returned to normal position, automaticallv throws out of operation all of the feeding devices so that the carriage stops and no further work is performed until the operator has again started the feeding devices. Thcse mechanisms will now be described in detail. is above stated, these improvements are in this particular instance shown as applied to a milling machine. ln the standard l0 of this machine are mounted the driving pulleys ll for rotating the milling tool l2 at any desired speed.

The traveling work carriage l5 has a groove 1G in its under side on one side of which is fastened a rack 17 (see Fig. Q). Meshing with this rack is a driving'pinion 18 mounted on a short shaft 19 extending through the stationary table 20 in the groove of which the carriage l5 slides. The shaft 19 has fast to its lower end a worin wheel 2l which meshes with a worm pinion 22 fast to the feeding shaft 2?). From this construction it will be readily understood that whenever the main feeding shaft '223 is rotated in either direction at a fast or slow speed, the carriage l5 will receive a corresponding reciprocating' motion.

The shaft Q3 is revolved in either direction at a fast or slow speed by tl e three sets of gears connecting it to the main power shaft 30, which is constantly driven by any suitable power. The above mentioned sets of gears and their relative speeds will now be described. in Fig. 4- is shown the gear connections of the slow forward feed, comprising a pinion 35 fast to the shaft 30, gears 36 and 37 rigidly secured to each other and loosely mounted on an intermediate shaft 38 and a gear 39 loosely mounted on the shaft 23 and meshing with the gear 37. The relative sizes of these gears are such that the gear 39 will receive a slow revoluble movement. It will be clearly seen by reference to the arrows in Fig. 4 that the top of gear 39 will be revolved toward the machine. As seen in Fig. l the gear connections for the fast forward feed comprises a gear 40 fast to the shaft 30, gears 41 and 42 rigidly secured to each other and loosely mounted on the shaft 38 and a gear 43 loosely mounted on the shaft 23 and meshing with the gear 42. The relative sizes of these gears are such that the gear 43 will receive a fast revoluble movement in the same direction as the gear 39. In Fig. 5 is shown the gear connections for the return feed. The gear 45 is rigidly secured to the shaft 30 and meshes with the gear 46 which is rigidly secured to the gear 47. The gears 46 and 47 are loosely mounted on the shaft 3S, the gear 47 meshing with an intermediate gear 48 which is mounted on a stub shaft secured to the framework of the machine. The gear 49 meshes with the gear 48 and is revolved in a direction reverse to that of the gears 39 and 43.

The clutch mechanism will now be described. Fast to the gears 39, 43, and 49 are disks 50a, 50b and 50c respectively to which are pivoted engaging pawls 51, 511D and 5lc having engaging noses 52a, 52b and 52c and releasing arms 53a, 53b and 53c (see Fig. 2.) These engaging pawls are thrown into and out of engagement with ratchet wheels 54a, 54b and 54c which are rigidly secured to the main feeding shaft 23. rlhe mechanism for operating the engaging pawls consists of sleeves 552t and 55b each having a circumferential groove 56a and 561 adapted to receive shift-ing arms 57a and 57'b which are secured to a shifting or controlling shaft 60. The sleeve 55a for the slow forward feed has a single beveled circumferential operating groove 61a which is adapted to receive the releasing arm 53a of the engaging pawl 51a. Then the arm 53a is in the groove 6l2L the engaging nose 52a of the pawl 51L will engage the ratchet wheel 54a and the shaft 23 will then be rotated forward at a slow speed as the gear 39 and the disk 50a carrying the pawl 51a are constantly in motion. When the sleeve 552L is now shifted in either direction by the shifting arm. 57a the releasing arm 53a will be cammed out of the groove 61a and will raise the engaging nose 52a of the pawl 5la out of engage ment with the ratchet wheel 54a thereby stopping this feeding mechanism until the sleeve 55a has again been shifted to its engaging position. The springs 63a, (53h and 63c serve to hold the pawls 51a, 51b and 51c in engagement with the sleeves 55al and 55h. The sleeve 55b has two beveled operating grooves 6l" and 6lc which serve to operate the pawls 51b and 51c in the same manner as the previously described sleeve 55'LL operates the pawl 51a. The pawl 51" is pivoted on the disk 50b of the gear 43 and revolves continuously in the saine direction as the gear and disk of the slow feeding mechanism. The pawl 5lC is pivoted to the disk 50c of the gear 49 which revolves continuously in the opposite direction. The relative speeds of the above described three feeding mechanisms are such that the fast forward feed is intermediate in speed between the slow forward feed and the fast return feed.

The effect of the shiftin ofthe sleeves 551 and 55b will now be exp ained. As seen in Fig. l the sleeves are set for the slow forward feed with the releasing arm 53@L of the pawl 5la in engagement with the groove 61a. As previously explained this will cause the engaging nose of the said pawl to engage its ratchet wheel and thereby rotate the shaft 23 to give the work carriage a slow forward feed. It will be noticed in Fig. l that the releasing arms of the pawls 5lb and 5lc have been cammed out of the operating grooves 6l" and 6lc and are resting on the outer periphery of the sleeve 55". This will hold the engaging noses of these pawls out of engagement with their ratchet wheels.

In Fig. 2 the mechanism is shown as set for the fast forward feed. In this position the controlling shaft 60 and the sleeves 55a and 55b are shifted as far as they can go toward the front of the machine, that is, the left in Fig. 2. It will be seen in this position that the releasing arm 53a of the pawl 51a has been cammed out of the operating groove 6l2L so as to disengage its engaging nose 52a from the ratchet wheel 54a.

v(See Fig. 3.) The releasing arm 53b of the pawl 5lb has dropped into the operating groove 6lb thereby allowing its engaging nose 52b to engage the ratchet wheel 54b and rotate the shaft 23 at a fast forward speed. The pawl 5le is still held raised as when the mechanism is set Vfor slow forward feed by the periphery of the sleeve 55b which sleeve has shifted to the left but not far enough to let the said pawl drop from the rear end of said sleeve.

By reference to Fig. l it will be clearly understood that if the sleeve 55a andv55b are shifted farther toward the rear of the machine (the right in Figs. l and 2) the following will result. The arm 53aL of the pawl 5la will be cammed out of the operating groove 6la thereby causing its en.

gaging nose 52a to be disengaged from its ratchet wheel 54a. The periphery of the Cit front end of the sleeve 551 will still hold the arm 531 of the pawl 511 in its raised position to keep its engaging nose b out of engagement with its ratchet wheel Sill. The ari-n 53e of the pawl 51C will drop into the operating groove G1C thereby allowing its engaging nose 52C to engage with its ratchet wheel 51C and revolve the shaft at a fast speed in the reverse direction. By a still further shifting movement (to the rear of the inr Chine or the right in Figs. 1 and 2) of the sleeyes and 55" the arm 53C of the pawl 51C will be eannn-ed out of the operating groove (S1u and when the mefhanisin is in this adjustment, all of the pawls 51a. 51" and 51(j are in a disengaging' position and therefore the shaft will stop, and hence the feeding of the work carriage stops.

The shitting or controlling shaft 60 is shifted to its different positions bythe meehanisni which will now be described. Mount.- ed in a bracket 7 0 on the rear of the stationary table 20 is a short vertical shaft 71 to which is piroted at its lower end an arm 72 haring a downwardly projecting pin 'T3 which engages in an elongated slot formed in a block .7e fast to the shifting shaft ('30. Fastened to the upper end of the shaft T1 is an arm 75 in the outer end of which is mounted a forwardly projecting pin 70 which is operated upon by dilferent dogs as will be described later on. 'lhe rear end of the arm 75 is formed in the shape of a handle 77 which is operated by hand to shift the shifting` shaft 60 to set the mechanism for the fast forward feed after the automatic stop acts upon the pin 7G to stop the work carriage 15. As shown in Fig. Q with the feeding mechanism set for fast forward feed, the work earriz'ige 15 will be traveling in the direction of the arrow. As the earriage travels the pin 70 and controlling shaft ('30 will be cannned to the rightby a lug S0 extending downwardly from a feed controlling dog S1 which is adjustably mounted in a groove in the work Carriage 15 as are all the feed controllingl dogs. This will shift the sleeves 55 and 55" into the position shown in Fig. 1 which position sets the clutch mechanism for a slow forward feed. The `iin 'T0 will next be engaged and eannned to the left again by a lug 82 extendi downwardly from a feed controlling dog 3. '."iis will set the sleeves and for a fast forward feed. rif'his shifting movement from fast to slow forward feed and back to fast forward feed again may be repeated as often as the nature of the work requires, the last movement being to shift the sleeves 55a and 55" to the slow feeding position. turning dog 90 -is slidably mounted in an adjustable bracket 01 and is spring pressed by a spring 92 to its outer position as shown in Extending downwardly from it is a eannning lug and two guidi ng lugs st between which the pin T0 rests at certain times as will hereinafter be explained. Pivoted to the stationary table 20 is a tripping pawl 0:3 which is spring pressed toward the position shown in Fig. 2 and has a rearwardly extending stop nose 00 to limit its movement in one direction. rllhe lug 0T X- tends upwardly into the path of the caniining lug' 03 of the return doe' 00. lillhen the lug 023 strikes the beve-led lug 0T of the tripping pawl it Canis the returning dog 00 inward against its spring 02 so that the two guiding lugs 0-'1- pass on either side of the pin T6. [im soon as the lug 93 passes the lug 0'? the spring 02 will force the returning dog 90 outwardly with a qlick snapping movement. thereby shifting the pin To and controlling shaft G0 to the right by reason of the position of the pin 'T0 between the two lugs 0-1. This vill set the two sleeves 55 and 551) in a position which will set the feeding mechanism for the fast return feed. The lug on the return movement ot the oarriage 15 will strike the rear bevel of the lug 0T and will compress the spriiig of the tripping pawl and wipe last said pawl. The automatic stop pawl 100 is mounted in a bracket 101 and is spring pressed against stop pin 102. lt is pivoted at 105 and is adapted to be engaged by the pin To and pressed rearwardly until it strikes the lug -1 which forms part of the bracket 101. lts operation is as follows. @n the return movement of the carriage the pin T0 will strike a downwardly extendingl lug 103 of the pawl 100 and will first more the pawl against the lug 104e and then will be eannned rearward to shift the sleeves and 35 to their stop position, being the extreme position to the right. ris soon as the pin T0 eainmed into this position the pawl 100 snaps back against the stop pin 102 therebyv assuming' its norma position shown in Fig. lllhen the feeding n'ieehanisin is started again the operator, by pushing inward on the handle 77 swings the lever T5 toward the front of tht machine. This will cause the pin to pass in the rear of the lug 103 and set the controlling shaft 00 and sleeves 55a and 55" in the fast forward feeding position, beingl the extreme position to the left, after which the operation of the machine as above described repeated.

lt will thus be seen that the feeding movements of the work carriage may be inider the absolute control of the adjustable dogs mounted on the carriage; and the dogs are adjusted to proper positions by the operator so that the various feeding movements will take place desired. That is, where for example, this feeding device is used on a milling machine after the work to be milled is suitably olainped on the work carriage in position to bev operated upon by the milling tool, the operator adjusts the said dogs so that as soon asthe machine has been started to feed the work carriage (by operation of the lever 77,) the fast feed of the carriage will take place until the work has been brought opposite the tool and a certain surface of the work is thereupon brought into position to be milled, whereupon the feed automatically shifts from the fast forward feed to the slow forward feed, this slow feed obtaining so long as the tool is milling the desired surface of the work. As soon however as this particular surface has been milled and it is desired to have the work moved on to the next surface which is to be milled, the fast feed again takes place by the operation of the fast feed dog 83 as above described, so that less time is lost by moving the work rapidly over the intervals in which no milling is to be done. In this manner much time is saved by feeding the piece of work rapidly while no milling is being done, of course feeding at the slow rate for the milling process. Furthermore, as soon as the entire piece of work has been milled upon its various separated surfaces in this manner, the returning dog operates to automatically restore the carriage to normal position whereupon the stop dog automatically stops the feed so that thereby the operator has to give no attention to the machine except to start it and keep watch to see when the machine has stopped, whereupon a new piece of work may be immediately inserted into the machine for a repetition of this operation.

The peculiar construction of the tripping pawl 95 and returning dog 90 is utilized for the purpose of securing a quick spring action in the shifting of the clutches from the forward feed to the reverse feed. If an ordinary beveled camming dog were used, such as is used in the dogs 81 and 83, the shifting from the slow forward feed to the rapid reverse feed would take place by a slow movement and this would give rise to likelihood of the two clutches interfering and the possibility of their not being thrown out of and into operation at the proper relative times. By means of the quick spring action which results from first retarding the action of the restoring dog 90 and then permitting the same to spring outward rapidly to shift the controlling shaft 60, the necessary shifting of the clutches is eected in the proper manner to shift from the slow forward feed to the fast reverse feed.

IVhile the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfil the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a movable work carriage, of driving connections for same comprising two different speed forward driving devices and a reverse driving device, clutch mechanisms for connecting any one of said driving devices to the work carriage, a bar differentially movable to control said clutch mechanisms, and feed controlling devices on said carriage for moving said bar in opposite directions and to different extents.

2. In a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a movable work carriage, of driving connections for same, comprising two different speed forward driving devices and a reverse driving device, clutch mechanisms for connecting any one of said driving devices to the work carriage an element movable to actuate any one of said clutch mechanisms, and feed controlling devices on said carriage for differentially moving said element.

8. In a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage, and a continuously driven main operating shaft, of a driving shaft connected with said work carriage; carriage feeding devices driven from said main shaft and comprising separate gears having a slow forward feed, a fast forward feed and a return feed; clutch devices for connecting said gears to said driving shaft; a feed controlling shaft having connections with said clutches for selectively operating the same; and adjustable dogs mounted on said carriage having provisions for operating said feed controlling shaft and causing variable feeding movements of the carriage according to the position of said dogs.

4. In a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage, and a continuously driven main operating shaft, of a driving shaft connected with said work carriage carriage feeding devices driven from said main shaft and comprising separate gears having a slow forward feed, a fast forward feed and areturn feed; clutch devices for connecting said gears to said driving shaft; a feed con- 115 trolling shaft having connections with said clutches for selectively operating the same; adjustable dogs mounted on said carriage having provisions for operating said feed controlling shaft and causing variable feed- 120 ing movements of the carriage according to the position of said dogs; and a stop dog also adjustably mounted on said carriage for operating .said feed ,controlling shaft to throw all of the clutches out of operation to 125 stop the feed of the carriage.

5. In a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage, and a continuously driven main operating shaft, of a driving vshaft 130 llO connected with said work carriage; carriage feeding devices driven from said main shaft and comprising separate gears having a slow forward feed, a fast forward feed and a return feed; clutch pawls carried by said feeding gears; a clutch ratchet for each of said pawls, said ratchets being connected with said carriage driving shaft; clutch controlling collars for said pawls having provisions for holding said pawls free from said ratchets or permitting engagement of the pawl with the ratchet according to the posit-ion of said collars; a feed controlling shaft having connections for shifting said clutch controlling collars; and adjustable dogs mounted on,` said carriage and having provisions for engaging said feed controlling shaft to shift said collars to throw in any desired clutch and thereby give the carriage slow or fast forward feed or a return feed.

6. In a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage, and a continuously driven main operating shaft, of a driving shaft connected with said work carriage carriage feeding devices driven from said main shaft and comprising separate gears having a slow forward feed, a fast forward feed and a return feed; clutch pawls carried by said feeding gears; a clutch ratchet for each of said pawls, said ratchets being connected with said carriage driving shaft; clutch controlling collars for said pawls having provisions for holding said pawls free from said ratchets or permitting engagement of the pawl with the ratchet according to the position of said collars; a feed controlling shaft having connections for shifting said clutch controlling collars; adjustable dogs mounted on said carriage and having provisions for engaging said feed controlling shaft to shift said collars to throw in any desired clutch and thereby give the carriage a slow or fast forward feed or a return feed; and a stop dog also mounted on said carriage and having provisions for shifting said feed controlling shaft to throw all of the clutch controlling collars into position to free all of the clutch pawls from their ratchet wheels and thereby stop the feed of the carriage.

7. In a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage, and separate feeding devices having variable speeds of feeding movement, of spring actuated means mounted on said work carriage for quickly shifting from one feed to another.

8. ln a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage, and a continuously driven main operating shaft, of a driving shaft connected with said work carriage; variable feed devices connected with said main shaft; means for connecting said feeding devices with the carriage driving shaft to drive the carriage at variable speed; a spring-pressed feed shifting device for operating upon said latter connecting means and mounted upon said carriage; and means for putting said spring device under tension upon the movenient of the carriage and subsequently releasing the same whereby to cause the feed shifting to take place under a quick spring action.

9. ln a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage and a driving shaft connected with the same, of a continuously driven main driving shaft; carriage feeding devices connected with said main shaft and comprising a forward feeding device and a return feeding device; means for connecting said feeding devices to said carriage driving shaft to feed the carriage forward or backward; and spring-actuated means mounted on said carriage for shifting from the forward feed to the reverse feed.

l0. In a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage, and means for driving' the same at variable speeds, of spring-actuated means on said carriage for quickly changing the feed, and means for tensioning the spring and holding same in a condition of tension until the feed changing point is reached.

l1. In a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage and means for driving the same at variable speeds, of means for shifting from one driving speed to another, spring means for operating said shifting means, and devices constructed to put said spring means under tension by the movement of said work carriage and then suddenly completely release said spring means to cause a quick change of said driving speed.

l2. ln a feeding device for milling machines and the like, the combination with a work carriage and separate feeding devices therefor having variable speeds of feeding movement, .spring actuated means mounted on said carriage for quickly shifting from one feed to another, and means for compressing said spring constructed to suddenly completely release the same.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EVERETT STCK.

Witnesses:

J. B. HAYWARD, CARL W. Bnusr. 

